Etymology

Definition

The noun "etymology" refers to (1) the study of the origin and historical development of words; and (2) an account of a word’s origin and how its form and meaning have evolved over time.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /ˌɛt̬ɪˈmɑːlədʒi/
• Respelling: et-ih-MOL-uh-jee

British English

• IPA: /ˌetɪˈmɒlədʒi/
• Respelling: et-ih-MOL-uh-jee

Etymology

From Greek etumología “study of the true sense of words,” from étumon “true sense, original meaning” + -logia “study of.” Entered English in the late 16th century.

Derivatives

• Etymologist (noun)
• Etymological (adjective)
• Etymologically (adverb)

Synonyms

• Philology
• Word origin study
• Historical linguistics

Antonyms

• Neology (study of new words)

Usage

"Etymology" appears in linguistics, lexicography, and academic contexts. Examples: "She wrote a paper on the etymology of ‘quarantine’," and "The dictionary’s preface includes an etymology section."

Related Terms

• Philology: The study of language in written historical sources.
• Morphology: The study of word forms and structure.
• Lexicon: The vocabulary of a language.
• Semantics: The study of meaning in language.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• The study of word origins and historical change: An academic discipline exploring how words develop.
  • Example: "He majored in etymology to trace the history of English vocabulary."
• An account of a specific word’s origin and evolution: A description of a word’s lineage.
  • Example: "The etymology of ‘salary’ traces back to Latin salarium, a payment for salt."